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Exhibit 10.4
Schmutz Severance Letter Agreement

December 17, 1999

Mr. John F. Schmutz
17122 Eagle Star
San Antonio, TX 78248

RE: Severance Benefits

Dear John:

This letter will document your severance benefits in the event you are
terminated from employment with La Quinta Inns, Inc. under certain
circumstances. The severance benefit in such event shall be a lump sum payment
of $500,000 and the continuation of medical benefits at La Quinta's expense for
two years in lieu of any other compensation except for vested interests in the
La Quinta Retirement Plan, the Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan, the
Executive Savings Plan, Meditrust stock options, Meditrust performance units and
the like. Said lump sum payment (reduced by any required withholding taxes)
shall be payable within five (5) days of your termination.

You will become eligible for this lump sum severance benefit in the following
events:

         1.)      a Termination Other Than For Cause;

         2.)      your Death or Disability; or

         3.)      a Termination Upon a Change In Control;

all as the foregoing events are described in Exhibit "A", attached hereto.

It is the intention of the Board to consider Employment Agreements for you and
other members of La Quinta's Executive Team following the public announcement of
a new President and Chief Executive Officer for La Quinta.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Clive D. Bode
-----------------------
Clive D. Bode Chairman



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                                   EXHIBIT "A"

For purposes of this Letter, the following terms shall have the following
meanings:

         (1) "Termination For Cause" shall mean termination by the Employer of
the Employee's employment by reason of (i) the Employee's fraud upon, deliberate
injury or attempted injury to, or dishonesty towards the Employer that causes
material and demonstrable injury to the Employer, or (ii) the conviction of any
felony involving a crime of moral turpitude.

         (2) "Termination Other Than For Cause" shall mean termination by the
Employer of the Employee's employment other than a Termination for Cause, a
Termination Upon Death or Disability, or a Termination Upon a Change in Control.

         (3) "Termination Upon a Change in Control" shall mean termination of
the Employee's employment with the Employer within two (2) years following a
Change in Control either by the Employer as a Termination Other Than For Cause.

         (4) "Termination Upon Death or Disability" shall mean termination by
the Employer by reason of the Employee's death or disability shall mean a
termination upon written notification to the Employee if the Employee, in the
reasonable judgment of the Board of Directors of the Employer, has failed to
perform his duties under this Agreement because of illness or physical or mental
incapacity, and such illness or incapacity continues for a period of more than
four (4) consecutive months, or in the event of the Employee's death, in which
case the Employee's employment shall be deemed to have terminated as of the last
day of the month during which his death occurs.

         (5) "Permitted Spin-Off" shall mean a corporate restructuring of the
Meditrust Companies pursuant to which all of the stock of any existing or
newly-created subsidiary of the Meditrust Companies (or either of them) which
owns (or acquires by purchase, dividend, investment or otherwise) all of the
healthcare assets and investments of the Meditrust Companies (or the stock of
subsidiaries which own such assets and investments) existing immediately prior
thereto is "spun-off" ratably to the shareholders of the Meditrust Companies at
the time of such spin-off.

         (6) "Spin-Off Entity" shall mean any Person resulting from a Permitted
Spin-Off.

         (7) "Change in Control" shall mean (a) an acquisition by any
individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13 (d) (3) or 14 (d)
(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")) (a
"Person") of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated
under the Exchange Act) of 20% or more of the combined voting power of the then
outstanding voting securities of the Employer entitled to vote generally in the
election of directors of the Employer (the "Outstanding Voting Securities") or
20% or more of the combined market value of the equity securities of the
Employer (the "Equity Value"); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that any acquisition directly
from or by the Employer or any acquisition by an employee benefit plan (or
related trust) sponsored or maintained by the


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Employer or an affiliated company or any acquisition by a company pursuant to a
transaction which complies with clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of (c) below shall
be excluded from this clause (a); or (b) individuals who, as of the date hereof,
constitute the Board of Directors (the "Incumbent Board") of the Employer, cease
for any reason to constitute at least 60% of the Board of Directors of the
Employer; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that any individual becoming a director whose
election, or nomination for election by the Employer's stockholders, was
approved by a vote of at least 60% of the directors then comprising the
Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual was a member of
the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose
initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened
election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other
actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a
Person other than the Board of Directors of the Employer; or (c) consummation of
a reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Employer (a "Business
Combination"), unless, in each case, following such Business Combination, (i)
all or substantially all the individuals and entities who were the beneficial
owners, respectively, of the outstanding Equity Value and Outstanding Voting
Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own,
directly or indirectly, more than 60% of the combined market value of the equity
securities and more than 60% of the combined voting power of the then
outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of
directors of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination
(including, without limitation, a corporation which as a result of such
transaction owns the Employer or all or substantially all of the Employer's
assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the
same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Business
Combination of the Equity Value and Outstanding Voting Securities, (ii) no
Person (excluding any corporation resulting from such Business Combination or
any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Employer or such corporation
resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or
indirectly, 20% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding
voting securities or 20% or more of the combined market value of the equity
securities of the corporation resulting from such business combination except to
the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination and
(iii) at least 60% of the members of the board of directors of the corporation
resulting from such Business Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at
the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or the action of the Board,
providing for such Business Combination, (d) the sale or other disposition of
more than 50% of the lodging assets of the Employer, or (e) a complete
liquidation or dissolution of the Employer or approval thereof by the
stockholders of the Employer. For purposes of this definition, "Employer" shall
mean either (x) Meditrust Corporation or Meditrust Operating Company
("Meditrust" and together with the Employer, "the Meditrust Companies") or (y)
any subsidiary of Meditrust Corporation or Meditrust Operating Company, the
assets of which are substantially all of the lodging assets and investments of
Meditrust Corporation (or the stock of subsidiaries, the assets of which are
substantially all of the lodging assets and investments of Meditrust
Corporation). Notwithstanding the foregoing, any corporate restructuring
directly related to a Permitted Spin-Off, including any related change to the
Board of Directors shall not be deemed to be a Change in Control; provided,
however, that this exclusion shall not apply to any simultaneous or subsequent
sale of, or Business Combination, or other events described in clauses (a)
through (e) of this subparagraph (7) involving such Spin-Off Entity.

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